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November 10, 2006
The Most Beautiful Place in Xinjiang
I've been messing around with Panorama Factory recently. The program does what it advertises and makes truly beautiful panoramas. I tend to snap panoramas here and there when I'm travelling, but have rarely pieced them together... until now.
I shot the photograph below when I traveled to Lake Karakul south of Kashgar, earlier this year. Shot from a hillside, this panorama encompases snow-capped Mustagh Ata (7500m) on the left, the ethnically Kyrgyz village of Subash in the middle, and the brilliant turqoise waters of Lake Karakul on the right. I didn't let the fact that the sun was about to set in my face ruin the picture... in fact, I think it adds to the overall effect.
Let it be proclaimed across the land, then, that Lake Karakul is the most beautiful place in Xinjiang:
Click on the image above (or here) to see the full-sized panorama at 3000×600 pixels. If your browser shrinks wide images, make sure to expand this one to full size. Stiched together, the picture is pretty awesome. (Please allow me a self-congratulatory pat on the back this one time.)
Special Bonus Image: The panorama below was taken from the other side of Lake Karakul. If you view the full-resolution version, I've marked an "×" at the hillside spot from where the first image above was taken:
UP NEXT: The ugliest place in Xinjiang.
posted November 10, 2006 at 09:54 PM unofficial Xinjiang time | HaoHao This!
Comments
Beautiful pics.
Posted by: Xiao Zhu at November 11, 2006 07:43 AM
Nice photos. Have you ever been to Tashkurgan? It is a pretty amazing place...
Posted by: lyle at November 11, 2006 07:15 PM
Nope, never made it down to Tashkurgan. I spent the night with a Kyrgyz family in Karakul (Y15 including dinner, which is a cheaper price than usual) and caught the bus back to Kashgar the next day.
Posted by: michael at November 11, 2006 07:38 PM
Excellent job man. I'm looking into Panorama Factory 马上!
Posted by: The Humanaught at November 11, 2006 09:24 PM
It looks lovely, nice photo. But, I must say that Tian Chi and the border areas with Pakistan have their own claims on the 'most beautiful place' tag. South of Kargilik kicks asthetic ass, as well. Can't we just say that Xinjiang is chock-full of scenic beauty?
Posted by: porkbarrel at December 7, 2006 05:04 AM
I agree that Karakoram Lake is beautiful. Have you ever been through the Taklimakan Desert? I'm more a fan of that kind of scenery - it seems more beautiful to me.
Posted by: Jon at March 25, 2007 12:02 PM